Suture thread pushing apparatus and suture thread pushing system

A suture thread pushing apparatus comprising:

• an outer cylinder which includes a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an internal space extending from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion, and a pair of side holes formed in side surfaces of the distal end portion such that a suture thread is inserted through the side holes;
• a shaft member which includes a distal end surface which is capable of coming into contact with a knot tied in the suture thread inserted through the pair of side holes, and distal end side surfaces, wherein gaps through which the suture thread is capable of being inserted are formed between the distal end side surfaces and an inner surface of the outer cylinder on a distal side of the pair of side holes, the shaft member arranged so as to freely move inside the distal end portion of the outer cylinder relative to the outer cylinder such that the shaft member pushes the knot;
• an engaging portion extending in an axial direction of the outer cylinder, the engaging portion formed in the inner surface on a distal side of the outer cylinder;
• and
• an engaged portion mounted on a distal side of the shaft member, the engaged portion configured to freely move along the engaging portion and allow the positional relationship in a circumferential direction of the outer cylinder between the shaft member and the outer cylinder to be maintained by the engaged portion engaging with the engaging portion in the circumferential direction.